canker sores

Do you have a bump on the roof of your mouth? Chances are, the cause is easy to determine. Read this multi-step series to find out when to handle things on your own…or when to be worried.

The first suspect when you discover a bump on the roof of your mouth is a canker sore. Canker sores are round, open sores in the mouth. They may be white, yellow, or pink. No matter what color they are, they can be extremely sensitive.

Primarily, canker sores appear in the cheeks and gums. But they can also appear in other, less common places, such as the roof of the mouth.

Some causes of canker sores include biting the cheek while chewing and scratching the roof of the mouth with a fork or other sharp object.

Luckily, you won’t usually suffer too long, as canker sores generally resolve on their own within a couple of weeks. Even though they are not contagious, they certainly can be painful or uncomfortable, sometimes making eating difficult.

If you are having a lot of trouble, you may want to try some over-the-counter (OTC) or prescription oral creams to help numb the pain while it heals.